Jemma 7729

by Phoebe Wray

The Government's dossier on Jemma 7729 flags her as "independent thinking" of a "rebellious nature" exhibiting inappropriate behavior. On the day Jemma is to freely choose what she will be for the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1894063406
• ISBN13: 9781894063401
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing,
• Length: 220 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A good friend to have

I am glad to see that Jemma7729 is being reviewed as a young adult book. Every girl should get to know Jemma -- curious, inventive, smart, tough and very human. Jemma is a good friend. This is the kind of SF book that got me interested in the genre when I was a kid.

fabulous book

I truly enjoyed the heck out of this book. I read tons of fantasy and sci-fi, and I LOVED Jemma. She's intriguing, real, and very human. This is one of those books you think about when you've put it down to go to work, or you're cooking dinner. Jemma haunts you and demands your attention. The futuristic world is based in a reality we don't share, but the qualities we have in common are enough to chill you. I strongly recommend this book- in fact, I am buying another copy for my sister. Phoebe Wray is an amazing author. I look forward to future books!

Interesting, plausible and well worth reading

Around the year 2200, everyone in North America lives in domes. They have been told by AGNA (Administrative Government of North America), who controls North America with an iron fist, that the atmosphere is toxic and deadly. Women have had all rights taken away from them, under the guise of protecting them. Jemma7729 (everyone's name is a group of letters and numbers) is someone who does not act "appropriately." When she is five years old, Jemma gets into a fight with a boy at school. Jemma is the one who must publicly apologize to the whole school. Females are not allowed to show aggression, or express an opinion. While her mother is away for a few days, Jemma's father takes her Outside (there is nothing wrong with the air) and shows her the stars on a clear night. For Jemma, there is no going back. At ten years old, everyone must go through Choosing Day, where they must choose what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Jemma has few available options, the least awful of which is Woman Who Marries. She is very uninterested in spending the rest of her life pleasing her husband, arranging flowers and being an AGNA spy (like her mother). Jemma refuses to choose, and is immediately hauled to "rehab" (prison), where, after a year of harsh techniques to break her spirit, bordering on torture, she escapes to the outside world. Jemma is eleven years old. Jemma quickly learns to live on her own and spends her time sabotaging the factories that make the chemicals to keep women "altered" (docile and compliant). After a couple of years, the "underground" catches up to Jemma, and convinces her to join them. She spends the next several years traveling to this small town or that isolated hamlet, letting the people know that they are not alone. Meantime, AGNA has described Jemma as some sort of horrible terrorist who likes killing innocent people, which is totally untrue. This near future, one person against the system, story, might seem a little basic, but the author does a fine job with it. It's interesting, plausible and it's well worth reading.

"Action-filled, riveting writing!" -- The Dark Phantom Review

This is one of the most interesting Science Fiction novels I've read in a long time. What makes Jemma7729 stand out is the strong heroine and the feminist issues Wray weaves in the story, making the reader wonder and think at its implications. It is the late 22nd century in the United States. The government as we know it has completely collapsed. People live under huge city domes, afraid of what lies on the outside. Brainwashed by AGNA -- the State Security of the Administrative Government of North America -- they have been told to be believe that the `outside' is toxic and inside the dome is the only safe place for them. Feminism has vanished. Indeed, any type of feminist idea is violently suppressed and women are accused of the destruction of democracy and the `old regime'. The story is told in the first person by Jemma herself, and begins when she is but a stubborn, willful young girl of seven. From the very beginning she questions her world and its laws, a behaviour that only leads to her punishment and incarceration at the tender age of ten. The event emotionally destroys her loving parents, but it's either that or death for Jemma. The few years she spends incarcerated, however, only serve to harden her more and make her more rebellious. She has high ambitions and feels she's destined for something great. More than anything, she desires -- while overthrowing a corrupt and oppressive government -- to help her people, to make women realize that there's more for them than simply being housewives or mothers, and to enlighten the citizens about what's outside the city domes - freedom and hope for all. And the first thing she must do is escape. Will Jemma succeed? Will she live to overthrow the government and see the freedom of her people in spite of the prize that's being put on her head? Jemma7729 is a clever and thought-provoking novel with lots of action. The narrative moves at a quick pace, propelled by Jemma's sharp wit and crisp dialogue. But at the center of it all is Jemma herself - brave, rebellious, definitely too strong for her own good, yet sensitive at the same time. Wray has painted a vivid world filled with original, interesting rules and way of life, transporting the reader to another place and time. I highly recommend this novel not only to fans of SF, but also to those readers who enjoy women's fiction.

A riveting novel from start to finish

Phoebe Wray has created a frightening and thought-provoking image of the late 22nd century - the future of America if we continue on the path we are on. The government has taken extreme power, controlling all aspects of human life - even down to the daily weather underneath the Domed Megacities. The citizens of these domed cities are brainwashed into thinking that where they live is the only safe place for them; that outside the domes one would find a toxic wasteland overrun by deformed and murderous savages. Women have few options in life, and if they happen to be independent thinkers, they are forced to be "altered," a procedure which strips them of any ability to feel emotions or have opinions. This does not bode well for Jemma 7729, who even at a very young age feels that she is destined for something more than the few life choices she is given. When she finally escapes into the forbidden countryside, she discovers the truth about the government, and that there is a whole other world outside where women are allowed to be free under the real stars, to be themselves, and to be leaders. This is where Jemma finds herself and her mission in life: to stop the abusive alteration of women. This novel is riveting from the very start, and keeps the reader enthralled until the last page. Ms. Wray's writing style is clever, thoughtful, and provoking, and she is a brilliant story-teller. The story is filled with action, adventure, romance, and everything in between. It makes a very clear statement about the dangers of a government that has too much power and is highly relevant in the year 2008. Highly recommended by this reader!